Encounter
by Acain Keyrose
Summary: Cinderpelt takes a stroll through the forest and comes across an unexpected visitor.
1. Encounter

AN: Hello! This is my second story online, and my first _Warriors_ story! I look forward to reviews and hope that this unusual match intrigues you.

**Encounter**

Inspired By Erin Hunter's _Warriors_

I padded across the soft grass, my nose twitching at the pleasant scents around me. After a few more steps I settled down in a comfortable patch of leaves, a few beams of light dappling my gray pelt through the trees above. With a small contented sigh I set to work grooming my unkempt pelt, removing burrs and stray pieces of plants from my fur.

As I began to work on a particularly stubborn burr I thought back to why I had come here in the first place. My Clan had been busy running around preparing for tonight, myself stocking up on so many herbs that the smell permeated from my coat. I wish I could do more than just collect plants and wait for my Clan mates to get injured, but there isn't much else I can do. I could try to fight… but that would undoubtedly end in failure.

Darting a venomous glance and my bum leg I sighed again. Thinking about things I can't do isn't going to help any. I should be back at camp, making more preparations for the important battle. Everyone is counting on me to heal them if they get hurt- _when_ they get hurt. I shouldn't even be out of camp, not this close to the fight. Actually, _nobody_ is supposed to be out without at _least_ one other Clan mate. But here I am, alone in the forest at the edge of ThunderClan territory.

I winced and felt my ears lower as if scolded. I only left the Clan so I could clear my head and have a moment to myself, without having to worry about someone barging in and distracting me.

Pulling my head away from my flank- which I had just finished washing- I swiped my tongue over my muzzle once and decided it was time to go back to camp. I've had my moment to myself, and I still have a lot to do at camp. I got to my paws easily enough- despite my useless leg- and barely made it a paw step before I froze. I heard something. My ear flicked to see if I was hearing correctly. I almost dismissed it as nothing and went on my way when I heard it again. A slight creaking of wood, sounding as if it was only slightly strained from the weight of something.

My head jerked up and my blue gaze scanned the trees for movement. When I saw nothing I frowned. Am I hearing things? Maybe all the stress and exhaustion of the day has finally gotten to me…

And then I saw it. A small flicker of movement, a tail tip twitching in the harsh glare of the sun. My eyes followed the tail tip to the rest of the tail, slowly moving my eyes to the feline's torso, legs, and throat. I finally stopped on the cat's face, feeling myself freeze.

The cat was a black tom with a single white paw, lounging on a branch in the trees. Even from a distance I could tell that he was pretty small, but he still had an air that held dignity and demanded respect. I shivered involuntarily when I caught his icy blue eyes with my own. They were cold, colder than the coldest leaf-bare, and just as bitter. Despite all this though, the thing that disturbed me the most was the purple collar with various fangs imbedded in it that he wore around his neck. He was with the enemy.

Enemy. As a medicine cat I'm not supposed to view anything other than sickness as my enemy- excluding the possible creatures that could harm my Clan mates at least. I have never really had a feline as an enemy before, especially since medicine cats are given safe passage through different Clan territories. But he's not of the Clans; he's of the rogues that threaten my Clan, everyone I care about. But now, faced with an enemy for the first time in all my moons… I don't know what to do.

I guess I could try to run away, but he'd easily catch up to me with my bum leg. If it came down to fighting I could at least defend myself a little, having been trained as a warrior briefly before I was injured. Hopefully it won't come to fighting though…

"How long do you intend to stare at me like that?"

A smooth, male voice broke through my thoughts, jerking me back to reality. The tom was still lounging comfortably on the branch, the only difference in his position being a slightly tilted head with an inquisitive look in his eye. He didn't seem _too_ dangerous as far as rogues go…

Swallowing thickly I called up to him, squinting through the glare of sunlight, "Who are you? And what are you doing on ThunderClan territory?"

He rested his head on his paws, "It's impolite to ask for my name when you haven't even introduced yourself."

My pelt heated up in embarrassment; a _rogue_ that's trying to take over my home is telling me what's polite and impolite?

"Says the one that snuck up on me and has been watching me for StarClan knows how long!"

He snorted at my mention of StarClan but replied easily, "_You're_ the one that walked in on _me_ actually." I gaped at him and he continued, "I've been in this tree for a while now, _long_ before you came over here and started to groom yourself." He paused long enough for me to realize what he had just said before adding, "Speaking of which, you missed a spot behind your ear."

I burned beneath my pelt and quickly tried to fix the spot behind my ear while the tom chuckled. Once I was sure I had fixed the patch of fur I glared at the tom, who was still lounging pleasantly on the branch.

"Get down here so we can talk face to face!"

"I guess it couldn't hurt." He shrugged before standing on the branch and stretching- the branch bobbing precariously beneath his shifting weight- before he hopped from the branch he was on to several others, finally landing on the ground in front of me and sitting on his haunches.

I took a moment to study him. He was definitely small, about the size of an apprentice. He had muscle the rippled under his glossy black pelt, and I'll admit that I didn't expect it to be so well kept. Usually rogues have dirty, matted pelts and stank of crow-food, but this tom looked clean and healthy enough to pass off as a Clan cat. He even smelled fairly good, with the scent of trees, grass, and fresh-kill covering up the musk of the strange two-leg place where he lives.

"Did you only ask me to come down so you could ogle me some more?" the tom cocked his head with a soft snort.

I burned beneath my fur again, giving my chest a few embarrassed licks before saying, "I don't mean to stare… I just haven't seen someone like you before."

"Should I take that as an insult?" he sounded serious, but his usually chilly eyes held humor in them.

"Take it however you want," I raised my chin defiantly, suddenly remembering who he was, "but tell me what you're doing here."

He almost seemed taken aback, but he kept his tone amused and his expression neutral, "If you must know, I came here to take a nap and look around the territory that is soon to be mine. I was actually enjoying the quiet until a she-cat plopped herself under my tree and began to wash her rump."

Though I was embarrassed about his ending comment I bristled, "What do you mean by "territory that is soon to be mine"?"

"Exactly how it sounds." He raised a paw and began to lick it casually, "I was looking around what is soon to be my territory."

I began to growl, my old warrior spirit surfacing, "How could you be so cocky?! We have yet to even have the deciding battle and you already act like this forest belongs to you!"

He gazed at me with interest as he replied, "We have numbers and fighting experience. What do your "Clans" have that can possibly be an advantage over us?"

"We have StarClan."

He burst out laughing, but it wasn't a joyful sound. It was bitter.

"StarClan! Pathetic. As if they can help you, they're dead!" his laughter stifled to several snorts, "But I guess that won't stop you from trying anyway, will it?"

"Of course not!" I snapped, "My Clan, along with the others, will always defend our territories when threatened by thugs that want it for themselves."

He frowned, "Thugs? We are not thugs, merely desperate." At my doubting stare he sighed, "We live among two-legs, surviving off of their scraps alone. Some of us die each moon from starvation, sickness, or the two-legs we take food from. We are only doing what we have to to survive, moving to a more suitable place to live. There is no malice behind what we're doing; we just want to be able to live on in a better situation than we're currently living in."

"By making cats that are already living happily here leave!" I exclaimed, "Can't you just find your own territory?"

"We would if we could!" he hissed and leaned forward until we were almost nose to nose, "But I don't see any other prey-stocked places to settle, do you?"

I went silent and my gaze dropped to the forest floor. As the silence stretched between us I listened to the other forest life scuttle around the underbrush and the distant cries of birds. The warmth of the sun above seeped into my fur and made me feel uncomfortably hot.

I was in the middle of shifting when the tom spoke up to a near murmur, "I'm sorry that I reacted the way I did."

Surprised that the self-assured rogue had apologized my head snapped up and I stared blankly at him. He was sitting with his head bowed and his tail wrapped around his paws, making him look smaller and vulnerable. His ears were even drawn back a little, showing that he meant the apology.

"It's… okay…"

He jumped to his paws and purred, some warmth reaching the pits of his chilly eyes, "Good. So, what's your name?"

After a quick debate I decided that telling him my name wouldn't cause any harm and meowed, "My name is Cinderpelt."

"Cinderpelt… Cinderpelt…" he meowed a few times as if he was testing the sound on his tongue, "It's a nice name." he paused again, studying me with interested eyes. When his gaze stopped on my hurt leg I shifted to hide it from his vision, almost embarrassed by it. "What Clan did you say you were from?"

Surprise racing through me I answered hesitantly, "I… I didn't say what Clan I'm from."

"Then what Clan _are_ you from?" he waited patiently for me to reply.

"I'm from ThunderClan."

"Oh," he wrinkled his nose in disgust, "So that means that your leader is _that_ tom."

My eyes narrowed, "What do you mean by "that tom"?"

"I mean that you're led by that mouse-brained Fire… whatever his name is."

A growl rumbled in my chest, "Firestar is not mouse-brained! He's smart, kind, loyal, and will give his life for those he cares about! He's one of the best cats I know, and I don't _ever_ want to hear you or anyone else say something like that about him again!"

My claws had slipped out and the fur along my spine had lifted during my outburst, but the tom just cocked his head, "You are rather passionate about him, aren't you?"

"Well," I swallowed hard, trying to shove down my feelings for the fiery tom as my fur flattened and my claws sheathed, "he's my leader, everyone in the Clan respects him. Besides…" I paused, uncertain if I should tell him this, "he was my mentor once."

The toms icy eyes narrowed a fraction, "What do you mean by "was once" your mentor? Was he not your mentor for long?"

I shook my head and sighed wistfully, "No. Once my leg got wounded permanently I had to quit warrior training. I decided to become a medicine cat soon after so I wouldn't be a burden to the Clan."

"What's a medicine cat?"

"You don't know?" he shook his head once and surprise coursed through me, "It's a cat in the Clan that learns different herbs and poultices to heal the other cats when they get injured or sick." Seeing the tom's look of awe I frowned, "Don't you have anyone like that with the rogues?"

He shook his head with a heavy sigh, "No. When we get injured or sick we have to heal on our own or with help from close friends and family. For the most part we just leave each other alone."

"That's terrible!" I gasped.

"It is." He nodded, "But we've never known better. No rogue has ever learned how to use herbs, and if they have they haven't shared the knowledge."

"I wish I could help…" I meowed sympathetically, thinking that any cat suffering needlessly was horrible.

"Maybe you can." I frowned in confusion at the tom's meow, "You can join the rogues and share your knowledge with us." My mouth dropped open in surprise, but he continued, "You would be respected, you would have one of the best places to sleep, and the best food available."

"But-" I began but he cut me off.

"We need someone that can heal, and you are more than wanted in our forces."

After a moment of my mouth opening without sound coming out I managed, "But… I have family and friends in the Clans! I can't just leave them! And I hardly even know you, let alone the other rogues!"

He shrugged, "I cannot help your current family and friends, but I have no doubt that you will make new friends quickly. As for family… you can make your own." I couldn't form any words to reply to what he was saying, letting him continue, "I know more than enough toms that would be willing to have a talented, pretty, young mate such as yourself."

I snapped out of it at the word "mate", bristling in anger, "How dare you! You're trying to buy me over to the rogues!"

"No," he meowed patiently, "I'm not. I'm just suggesting that you may be happier with us, and hoping that you will listen and join us. It's not every day that I meet someone with your talent."

Before I could even reply, a scent drifted to me. More rogues. Instantly I stood, bore my fangs, unsheathed my claws, and tried to appear intimidating to nearby cats with my hurt leg. Several felines with fang-embedded collars dashed out of the bushes to the tom- completely ignoring me- and began to meow.

"There you are! We've been looking all over for you! It's almost time for the Clans' decision, and we need you back to lead us."

He flicked his tail dismissively, "Yes, yes. Fine." He stood and began to walk away before pausing and looking over his shoulder to me, "Cinderpelt, think about what I told you. If you decide to join us you can ask before or after the forest is ours, whenever suits for you. Just tell them that I asked for you. I promise that you will be a valued addition to our ranks."

He began to trot away again when I suddenly meowed, "Wait!" he stopped, "I don't know your name!"

With a wide, sly grin and a low purr he answered, "My name is Scourge."

And then they were gone, leaving me to stumble in a daze back to camp, wondering about everything that had happened.

~oOo~

As I sorted herbs in my den, my mind began to buzz. I was talking to the leader of the rogues, even getting along with him- sort of. He offered to let me join the rogues- me, of all cats! He offered me a chance to make my own family, something that I can't do in the Clans…

"Cinderpelt? Are you okay? You've seemed a bit out of it since you got back."

I turned to the fiery pelted tom, Firestar, and meowed, "I'm fine… just thinking."

I just couldn't tell him about Scourge.

"If you're thinking about the battle, don't worry. Everything is going to be fine. I promise."

I smiled at his attempt to make me feel better and nodded him away so I could finish me work. In the night, while I was waiting for cats to come to me for aid as I listened to the yowls and screeches of pain I was inwardly cheering for victory, but these thoughts weren't directed to the fiery warrior like they usually were, they were directed to the icy-eyed scourge of the forest.

AN: To fix any confusion, Scourge isn't instantly in love with Cinderpelt; he is just open to any options- especially Cinderpelt because a mate that is a healer would raise his status in his eyes. But it helps that he thinks she is a pretty she-cat. Just putting it out there…


	2. The Deal

AN: So, this is the second chapter of **Encounter**. After weeks of mulling over whether or not I should continue and how I would continue it if I did, I finally popped this out. Woohoo. Anyway, read and review (Or PM me if you prefer- I'm not that picky)! I just really want feedback!

**The Deal**

Inspired By Erin Hunter's _Warriors_

My icy eyes scanned the area, annoyance filling me. I'm dead. I've been dead for who knows how long now, and the experience hasn't gotten any better. Around me is nothing but black, a bone-chilling cold piercing through my ebony coat. There is no sound, no scent, and no escape.

With a growl I dug my claws into the invisible ground. I shouldn't even be dead! I should be alive with the Clans' territory now my own and all of my followers happy! I should be eating a mouse and resting in sunshine! But no! That wretched _Firestar_ had to come back to life and kill me! I could have had everything, and he ripped it all away from me!

I snarled, my pelt now fluffing up threateningly. I could have even had a healer! No other rogues could boast of that! The Clans ruined _everything_! I hissed and slashed the air in front of me. Speaking of healer… I wonder how Cinderpelt is. Cinderpelt, the only good thing from my entire experience with the Clans. Well, her and killing Tigerstar. That piece of fox-dung finally got what he deserved.

A quiet snort sounded from behind me, making me turn around and move to a perfect battle crouch with my teeth bared and fur up along my spine. My ears flattened and my eyes narrowed at the sight in front of me. A large horde of eerily shining cats stood in front of me, the light they gave off almost blinding me after being in the dark so long. One of them- a blue-gray she-cat- stepped forward.

"Scourge?" I growled deep in my throat, but didn't respond. She frowned, "I was given the impression that you were cleaner."

I frowned. I didn't expect her to say that. When she said nothing else I allowed myself a quick glance down at my pelt, instantly seeing how my fur was completely disheveled. Strange. Usually I'm neat, clean, and smooth, but after I died I stopped taking care of myself. I didn't see the point. After all, I'm dead. It's not like anyone is going to see. Or at least, I didn't think anyone would.

Remembering the fact that I have company I quickly gathered my wits and sat down, forcing my fur flat and asking coldly, "Who are you and what do you want?"

Another she-cat snorted, one with a flat face and long, matted gray fur, "Playing it cool to the end. Old habits die hard I guess."

"Yellowfang," the blue-gray she-cat warned, flicking her tail as she did before turning her attention back to me, "Scourge. You attacked the four Clans and refused to believe in StarClan. Now you are dead. Do you still not believe in StarClan?"

"Someone I killed came back to life and killed me. What do you think?" I replied sourly, "And even if that wasn't the case, now I'm dead and you're here, annoying me. What ever happened to rest in peace?"

The one called Yellowfang chortled, "Compared to us, you _are_ resting in peace. Trust me- I should know."

The other she-cat scowled at her, but I meowed before she could, "So, what brought all of you from your "wonderful" StarClan to here, wherever "here" is? I doubt you only came to comment on the state of my pelt."

Without missing a beat the blue-gray she-cat nodded, "You are right, we have come here for a reason. My name is Bluestar, and we have come here to offer you a deal."

"I'm listening." I cocked my head slowly.

"First, let me explain. Usually, when any cat outside of the Clans dies, its entire essence dies with it. You aren't a spirit walking among the stars, you're just gone. But, on rare occasions, a rogue, a loner, or even a kittypet will do something that changes it. Something will happen that changes them, and they end up in the in-between place. Here."

"Go on."

She took a quick breath before continuing, "Scourge, your whole life has been filled with darkness. Hate, anger, sadness, lies, death… this is only some of the darkness that you've faced. For living this kind of life as a rogue you would have disappeared like the rest, but something happened. Not long before you died something happened to you, a brief encounter or a change of perspective- we don't know. Whatever it was, it gave you a chance to change. That chance that you were given… that is the chance that we are supposed to make you seize." I frowned at her and she continued, "StarClan is bound by an ancient law that we don't completely… understand… to give any cat with the possibility to change a chance. Scourge," Bluestar sighed and closed her eyes, slowly opening them again as if she were pained, "would you like to live again?"

The very thought made an excited shiver run up my spine, but I knew better than to accept right away. For any great gift there is also a great price. My eyes narrowed and I studied the other dead cats for any signs of hidden intentions. It didn't seem like they had an ulterior motive…

I spoke slowly, eyeing them suspiciously, "What would I have to do in return?"

"Smart one, huh?" Yellowfang purred, "You didn't immediately accept the offer like a hair-brained fool, despite how tempting it is."

My gaze flitted to Bluestar and I snapped, "Well? What's the price?"

Obviously displeased she hissed through gritted teeth, "You have to join the Clans and live the rest of your life with them."

"No."

My flat meow rang though the blackness, making the horde of cats that had been silent until now erupt into uncomfortable murmurs. Yellowfang began to shake her head in disappointment while Bluestar frowned at me.

"Why? What is so horrible about the Clans?"

"Have you forgotten how I ended up here?" I rolled my eyes at the serious she-cat's question, "They killed me. I killed several of them. I tried to take they're territory. We hate each other. Do you think they'd take me coming back to life sitting down? They'd be at my throat the minute they saw me, and I would be the same. As for me joining one of their Clans..." I snorted, "as if they would let me. Not that I'd want to be in such close contact with them anyway."

"Trivial matters." Bluestar flicked her tail dismissively.

Scowling, I asked, "How is any of that trivial?"

"We're StarClan, their "all-seeing" ancestors. All we have to do is send down a sign to a Clan's medicine cat and the Clan will do anything we want- whether they want to or not." Yellowfang yawned, "Besides, if you don't accept this offer you'll disappear like any other rogue."

"What? Why would I disappear?" I demanded.

Yellowfang meowed, "You're a rogue and only have one chance to prove yourself, so if you refuse the chance things go back to their normal pattern. So, don't be mouse-brained and just accept the offer."

I dug my claws into the ground and spoke tightly, "Fine."

"Good." Bluestar sighed, "Now, which Clan would you like to join? We'll let you pick that much."

"Does it matter?"

"Only if you don't want to end up swimming with RiverClan." Yellowfang replied breezily, gaining several insulted hisses from the group of cats behind her.

I held down a groan and paused, remembering the Clan that seemed to hold the most notable cats, "ThunderClan. I'll join ThunderClan."

With a brief nod Bluestar meowed, "Alright. Wait a moment while I send their medicine cat a warning of your coming."

Suppressing a smirk I realized who the first cat to hear of my arrival would be. Oh, this is going to be good.

~oOo~

A gentle breeze swept through the camp, the sweet scent of flowers coming with it. Well-fed kittens and rolled around the clearing with their parents watching them nearby. Apprentices boasted about their latest catch and elders reminisced about the good old days to anyone that would listen. Another peaceful day in ThunderClan with no danger in sight.

I purred and trotted cheerfully towards the fresh-kill pile, pointedly ignoring Firestar's overly friendly nuzzles with Sandstorm. It's not that I hate them; I care greatly for them both. It's just… it stings to see Firestar so happy with someone other than me. I mentally cuffed myself. We didn't even _have_ that kind of relationship! I just had a crush on him when I was his apprentice. Besides, I'm a medicine cat now. I can't have a mate.

"_As for family… you can make your own."_

I shook my head in irritation, trying to remove the nagging words from my mind. Scourge had no right to say that to me. Filling me with false hope, however small it was. I felt a small twinge in my heart, recalling the short time we spent together. He was nicer than I thought he would be, and I actually got along with him. And now… now he's dead. Despite everything, I kind of miss him. He was easy to talk to, and seemed to genuinely care about what I said. He didn't care that I'm crippled and even said that I'm pretty.

I felt my pelt flush. No! Stop! No more thinking! This doesn't matter. He's gone. I'll never see him again. Get over the mindless flattery and get back to work! I'm a medicine cat! No more thoughts like these!

With a deep breath I moved to grab a piece of fresh-kill from the pile, suddenly freezing. Now, instead of being in camp, I'm in the middle of the Four Trees. Only a tail-length in front of me the earth began to tremble, a black paw shooting out of the ground. Slowly another paw came out, white this time, and then in a large shower of soil a dirt-covered black head popped out. He looked over to me with icy blue eyes that glowed with warmth and purred.

"I'm back."

Then just like that, I was back in camp. Scourge… he's… he's back! My heart sped up and my claws dug into the earth beneath me. Oh… oh StarClan! Scourge is back!

Without waiting I spun on my paws and bolted towards my Clan leader, "Firestar!"

~oOo~

Dirt filled my mouth, nose, and ears. Dirt filled my _everything_. I'm suffocating! I frantically dug at the soil around me, blackness at the edges of my vision. With a final struggle I burst out of the earth, vomiting up the contents of my stomach- basically just a lot of dirt and mud.

I hissed, "Seriously… StarClan? You could… bring me back to life… but… you couldn't… unbury me?"

I scrabbled away from where I'd been buried, gulping huge amounts of air into my lungs. After gasping for breath for a while I finally managed to look around at my surroundings. Trees. A lot of trees. And it's warm, bright, and sunny with a flower-scented breeze blowing through the air. It's the perfect weather for hunting.

My stomach let loose a painful growl at the reminder of food. When's the last time I've eaten? Not since I was last alive. How long have I been dead? I frowned and glanced down at my pelt, my frown deepening. My once glossy pelt is now crusted with dried blood from where Firestar struck to kill me and mud from being buried so long. I sniffed my fur. At least I don't smell like crowfood. I stood up shakily and looked myself over with a critical eye. I'm not rotting either.

With a sigh I began to move unsteadily forward, testing my limbs to see if everything was working correctly. Everything worked like they were supposed to, but I was stiff. Very stiff. I guess being dead does that to you. I yawned widely and stretched, trying to work out the kinks in my muscles.

I would have continued if not for the sudden change in the breeze. My head snapped up to see a small group of three or four cats, all having the distinct scent of a Clan. ThunderClan. When they saw me they froze, shock and fear radiating from their expressions.

Oh yes.

I smirked at them, making them flinch.

I'm back.

AN: So, what do you think? It's a pretty short chapter, but I think it got the point across. I also tried really hard to keep Scourge in character. Anyway, now you all have a basic idea of how this story is going to proceed, and I would _really_ like it if you would review me and give me your thoughts. I enjoy hearing about parts you liked and ideas of what could happen. Please review or PM me!

One more thing. To any artists and writers out there, could you please draw pictures or write stories for this couple? I'm one of those people that has to get motivated to write, and I get motivated by reading stories with the characters I'm focusing on or looking at pictures with the characters I'm focusing on. If you could, it would be a real help! Thank you.


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